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Get more from your shiny box of joy: Taking Apple TVs to the next levelFri, 11 Nov 2016 21:54:26 +0000en-UShourly1Apple TV 3 teardownhttp://www.appletvhacks.net/2012/03/25/apple-tv-3-teardown/
http://www.appletvhacks.net/2012/03/25/apple-tv-3-teardown/#commentsSun, 25 Mar 2012 16:47:33 +0000http://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=2008It is that time again… Apple releases its new 1080p Apple TV 3 and the guys over at iFixit are already ripping it apart. Is there anything sexier than an Apple product with no clothes on? Well, perhaps a jailbroken device...

At the exact same size as the Apple TV 2… the Apple TV 3 adds, most notably, the ability to play true 1080p content. Like the previous Apple TV, the backside features the same, standard, ports as its predecessor:

AC adapter port

HDMI output port

Micro-USB (for service and support)

Optical audio out port

10/100 Base Ethernet port

Once inside, the iFixit team noticed a few immediate differences from the Apple TV 2.The first thing they noted was the lack of a thermal pad. Now, it is quite possible that the new A5 processor doesn’t get as hot as the A4 processor, on the previous model, but if the iPad 3 is any indication of what we are to expect from the temperature situation, we are more than a little scared of what may come.

The second thing they found was that there are now two antennas. This is most likely due to the fact that Apple had received some complaints about the range and the signal strength of the Apple TV 2’s wifi capabilities.

Some other goodies worth mentioning:

8GB NAND Flash

Bluetooth

Broadcom BCM4330 (the same one that appears in the new iPad 3).

To top it off, iFixit has given this Apple TV 3 a reparability rating of 8 out of 10:

Only six parts in a very easy-to-dissemble case.

Separate power supply, which is easy to get to and replace in case your old one ever decides to jump off a cliff.

No glue, thermal paste, gum, peanut butter holding things in place…

Standard screws, no endangered species screwdrivers necessary.

The logic board contains all the components, which means if something breaks, it could be expensive to replace — unless you prefer to do board-level soldering.